Funeral pyres burn non-stop in the countryside

Swati Kulkarni in Surat

It was a terrible wake-up call for the residents of Surat on Sunday, as a severe aftershock shook the city at around 4 am local time, and which was followed by another one at around 6.45 am. But there have been no reports of damage to life and property. Official sources said in the last 48 hours alone, there have been more than 200 aftershocks.

The panic-stricken population has remained in the open, fearing to go back to their homes.

Besides the extensive damage and devastation in big cities like Ahmedabad, there are reports of widespread devastation in small villages across the state. And in the haste to rush aid to big cities, relief agencies seem to have completely ignored the smaller villages in Rapar, Bhuj and Bachchao tehsils of Kutch district, most of which are far from the national highway.

Funeral pyres seem to be burning virtually non-stop to cremate the dead, the trees felled by the quake being used for the purpose. Along the national highway between Ahmedabad and Bombay, one could see piles of wood being kept ready for anyone who might require it.

The devastation in Ahmedabad appears to be more than what was anticipated. The Golden Gate bridge on the highway to the Ahmedabad is reported to have developed huge cracks and the traffic is being diverted through Jhanjhar bridge.